Big Time

Michael Del Piero Good Design

By Gina Bazer

Published Aug. 29, 2008

A new Bucktown showroom of antiques and contemporary pieces, Michael Del Piero Good Design (1914 N. Damen Ave., 773-772-3000), proves the old adage about bigger being better. While the storefront itself is modest (about 1,300 square feet, including the offices of Del Piero’s eponymous interior design firm), the furniture and accessories—oversized wing chairs designed by Del Piero, $4,600 each; huge woven-wood sculptural chandeliers by Lucy Slivinski, $2,800 to $5,500—have head-turning proportions and a presence that no amount of diminutive things would ever achieve. Even the smaller objects, such as horn bracelets ($65 each), are used to make a bold statement; she has repurposed them as napkin rings. The collection has a well-traveled feel, with pieces from Argentina and Europe as well as the U.S. Del Piero (who previously co-owned the now-defunct MJ Spear) has opened a store as adventurous as she is.

Essentials of the Del Piero Look

1.Monochromatic layering: While she likes color, Del Piero prefers “to allow the eye to rest” using different textures in the same color group to avoid a spotty look (see the bookshelves). When using color, she chooses one main place for it: on the furniture, or on the walls, or on the floor—not everywhere at once (see the blue painting).

2.Appropriate scale: Del Piero intentionally uses a few impactful things and creates a sense of balance among them (see the minimalist arrangement on the dining table). At the same time, she allows for ample negative space (see the large nude and the amount of wall space above it) to allow her healthy-sized objects to breathe.

3.Sense of serenity: It there’s one quality consistent in all of Del Piero’s interiors, it’s serenity. Even the kitchen, which feels peppier than the other rooms shown here, maintains her signature feeling of calm.